Historical monument: Tai Fu Tai

Tai Fu Tai, a mansion of a high-ranking official in Qing Dynasty, is a historical monument in Hong Kong.“Tai Fu” (大夫) is a title given by the Qing Dynasty emperors to those appointed as officials in the civil service. “Tai” (第) means mansion. The mansion was built in 1865, whose owner was Man Chung-luen, a member of the “Man” clan (文氏家族）, and a successful merchant and a renowned philanthropist of his era. He was awarded “Tai Fu” title by the Emperor for his generosity.

The “Man” clan was and is one of the powerful clans in the New Territories. It has been settling in the San Tin area （新田） in Yuen Long, where the mansion is located, since 15th century. To date, the “Man” clan members still live in San Tin.

Here’s the flower plague I saw when I arrived at San Tin, which is in honor of those being elected to the rural affairs governance board, all surnamed Man.Tai Fu Dai, a fine example of traditional dwelling of the scholar-gentry class in the 19th century China, is one of the most elegant historical buildings preserved in Hong Kong. Surrounded by a spacious ground and a garden, it has a typical southern China architecture style with green brick walls, ceramic figurines, wood carvings, murals and plaster mouldings. It is also distinguished by its Western influence, as illustrated by the tint glass windows. Located under the roof of the hall, there are two honorific boards, each engraved in Chinese and Manchu language, which are the text of the Qing dynasty emperor Guangxu (光緒) in praise of Man Chung-luen’s grandparents and parents, believed to be one of its kind in Hong Kong.How to get there:
-Address: Wing Ping Tsuen (village) (永平村), Yuen Long
-Opening hours: 9am – 1pm, 2pm – 5pm (closed on Tuesdays)
-Transport: take bus 76K at Yuen Long MTR station (i.e. Sun Yuen Long Centre stop), and get off at San Tin (新田) stop. You will see road signs as shown in the photo above pointing to Wing Ping Tsuen and Tai Fu Tai. You can also take No. 76 minibus which passes Yuen Long MTR station.